I have noticed something curious in the strength training world and in the fitness world at large. Strength training and fitness professionals need to be less "me" oriented and the public needs to be less "other" oriented.

Scenario: Guy comes on to a bodybuilding board and posts a thread about how such and such a supplement or program put 20 pounds on him in a month and grew two inches on his arms. Ignoring the obvious conclusion that the guy is bullshitting, the board members hit him with one of the following answers: "Anecdotal Evidence. Doesn't prove Anything." Or, "Case study of one. Doesn't prove anything."

Supposing it is 'evidence' of any kind which is it? Anecdotal evidence or a case study? It's anecdotal evidence. Guys coming on to bodybuilding boards talking about their new guns don't do case studies.

Here's the scenario: A strength trainee walks into a gym (or bar) and sets up to deadlift around 335 pounds, which will be a new personal record if he pulls it off. This guy weighs around 160 to 175 pounds. He's average weight and average height for a male.

As he has worked his way up from an initial pull of 150 pounds (with good form) his only problem has been maintaining quality and progressing in a sustainable way. Only recently has his grip strength started to pose a problem, but he's managed to hold onto the bar and his latest personal record is 325 pounds.

Never assume that your authority figure is smarter than you. I constantly see trainees accepting everything a certain person says because they simply feel that they are not smart enough to apply any thought to it so they must simply absorb it as gospel.

I was looking around for Mel Siff items on the internet and came across Tony Gentilcore’s “Resource Page”. After the entry on Mel Siff’s book “Facts and Fallacies of Fitness” Gentilcore wrote: